


Hello Again, Stranger

by Cherikella



Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: 1930's, AU, Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Charles Always Says the Absolute Worst Thing He Could Possibly Say, Charles Getting Uncomfortable, Charles Is a Big Dorkface, Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Childhood Friends, Erik Logic Is The Best Logic, Erik is Crushing Harder than a 12-year Old Girl, Erik is a Sweetheart, Erik is confused, Erik is engaged to Emma Frost, F/M, Honestly Charles What Are You Thinking, M/M, Protective Erik
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2016-11-07
Packaged: 2018-08-29 17:10:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8498326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherikella/pseuds/Cherikella
Summary: After 13 years of absence Charles Xavier returns to his home town, sent on a mission to kill his childhood friend Erik Lehnsherr.





	

_Charles and Erik_

Erik walked the corridors of the huge Xavier mansion.

“Charles! Charles? Has anyone seen Charles?”

No one had.

Erik checked all their secret hiding places, all those things kids knew about houses that adults had somehow managed to forget about as they grew up. Charles was nowhere to be found and this was starting to worry Erik. His best friend was acting strange these last several weeks and Erik was frankly puzzled because they told each other _everything._ So if Charles was in trouble, he’d tell Erik, right?

He checked Charles’ room one last time. It was empty but then—Erik thought he’d check in the closet as well and—success! 

 “Charles!” he let out an excited yelp. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. What are you doing here?”

Charles looked up sheepishly. His eyes were red, his face was all puffy. Erik slid inside the closet too, closing the door behind him as he knelt next to the boy.

“Are you crying?” he asked concerned. “Why? Why are you crying? What happened?"

Charles hesitated and Erik instantly felt rage gathering inside his chest. “Was it Cain again?” he asked, hands already clenched into fists. Cain was that horrible boy in their school that kept terrorizing Charles. Erik had once punched Cain in the face already, he wouldn’t hesitate to do that again if Cain was bothering Charles.

Charles shook his face, slightly trembling. “No, Erik. It wasn’t Cain. It’s nothing.”

But it was obviously _something._ Why wouldn’t Charles just tell him already?

Erik reached out for his friend but Charles jerked away instantly. 

“Please, Erik!” the younger boy gasped, voice still trembling. “Just get away from me…”

“But Charles…” Erik muttered confused. “Did _I_ do something? I’m really sorry if I did! I assure you I didn’t mean to upset you. I’d _never_ do anything to upset you on purpose…”

The words seemed to make Charles even more agitated and hurt now. He frowned, curling on himself, hugging his knees.

“It’s not you, Erik, please, just go.” He said out loud but Erik was stubborn and Charles as his best friend in the world should know that by now.

Apparently Charles really knew that because he sighed and spoke again. “I—I’m really not well.”

Erik moved closer to his friend on the floor. “Charles?” he looked at the other boy with worried eyes.

Charles sighed. For a moment he imagined he could actually feel Erik’s deep concern as if it were his own - a mixture of fear and protectiveness. Of course it wasn’t real, this feeling Charles got from Erik, it was all in his head. He was imagining it because he was crazy.

“I’m crazy.” Charles said it out loud, finally – hiding his face in his hands, trying to stop sobbing. It was strange to say it out loud after weeks of hiding. “I’m crazy.” He repeated.

_A wave of relief._

Erik chuckled.

“Yeah! You’re completely crazy! And I love being crazy with you!” Erik said, taking Charles’ hand in his, back resting on the closet wall.

Charles was still curled on himself, but when he looked up at Erik again he shook his head. “No, no, I really truly actually positively _am_ crazy. _Actually_ crazy. As in mentally insane.”

Erik frowned confused. “Why do you think that?”

“Because I—" there was fear in Charles' eyes. He was hesitating again, afraid of Erik's reaction. Erik was his best friend, his _only_ true friend. What if Erik reacted… _badly?_ "I—“ Charles tried again, his throat going dry. He coughed to clear it and then continued. “I hear voices, Erik.” He sniffled. “I even think I can hear your voice.”

"Well, that's good because I _was_ talking. I’d be worried if you didn’t hear me."

"No, I hear voices _in my head_.” Charles insisted, deadly serious. “It’s like… it’s like— your thoughts, Erik. I imagine I can hear your thoughts."

Erik was quiet. Charles looked away. It was only a matter of time till Erik pulls away from him and starts calling him a creep like everyone else. He didn’t want to see that when it happens.

“I told you I was crazy…” Charles whispered, biting back another sob. “So you have to go.”

Better if Charles says it, right? Then if Erik just leaves on his own.

But Erik didn’t leave. In fact, Erik was overwhelmed with the desire to help Charles, to show him he was not alone in this, that no matter what Erik was still his friend. At least so Charles thought he gathered from Erik’s emotions which was naturally insane and only proved how crazy Charles really was.

“What am I thinking now?” he older boy asked.

Charles huffed. “I appreciate the effort, but this is pointless, Erik.” 

“Tell me.” Erik insisted.

Charles pursed his lips, considering something. Then he furrowed his brow in concentration and carefully looked at Erik.

“You're thinking...”Charles said, swallowing. “I can’t tell now… it’s a blur…”

Erik grabbed Charles’ hands before the other boy could start sobbing again. “It’s alright! Charles! It’s alright. Let’s try this instead. I’ll think of something – something clear, specific, something that isn’t a blur – and you tell me what my voice says in your head. Okay?”

Charles didn’t see the point in this game – he already knew he was crazy – but if that was what Erik wanted to do… if that’s what would ease Erik’s mind… Charles nodded anyway and decided to go with Erik’s suggestion.

Erik closed his eyes and waited a few moments.

 _“You are my best friend and I love being around you. I don’t know what I would do without you in my life. I’m glad to be your friend.”_ Charles heard inside his head. He couldn’t help smiling softly at the pleasant feeling of hearing Erik’s voice say those words, even if he knew it was only a hallucination.  

When the voice quieted down, Erik opened his eyes again – gaze warm and curious on Charles – and asked. “Well?”  

“It said…” Charles stuttered. “The voice said that I’m your best friend and that you love being around me. That you’re glad to be my friend and have me in your life.”

A wave of excitement, confusion, astonishment, happiness, curiosity, nervousness, fear of something ending and whatnot rushed through Charles’ head, leaving him utterly confused. Those weren’t _his_ emotions – not all of them anyway – so where did they really come from? His condition was getting worse than what he thought. There was no other explanation.

“Charles…” Erik said carefully.

 _“This can’t be real! I can’t believe it! Amazing!”_ The voice went on in Charles’ head again. He tried to ignore it and only listen to what Erik was saying out loud.

“This is amazing, Charles!” Erik said. “And you’re not crazy!”

Charles sighed. “That’s really sweet of you, Erik, but there’s no other explanation.” The boy said, defeated.

“Well, I guess there is, because that’s exactly what I thought a moment ago.” Erik’s face was as excited as his grin. “I don’t know how you did it but it’s not insanity!” 

Charles blinked confused. "You're joking." He said.

"You can read my mind, Charles." Erik smirked. "You tell me if I'm joking or not."

Charles gasped breathlessly. He opened his mouth to say something but he couldn't form a proper sentence so he only remained like that, still and gaping at Erik.

 _It's a gift, Charles! You're gifted, special, exceptional! And it’s is beautiful! I wish I were like you! I wish I had a gift like yours too._ The voice said inside his head.

"Why would you wish to be like me?" Charles asked confused. He didn’t even realize that he was responding to the thoughts he heard in Erik’s mind. 

"Because you _are_ amazing!” Erik replied out loud this time. “You can do things others can only dream about; things that are only possible in fiction! And you can do that! You're not crazy, Charles! You're beautiful!"

Charles blushed and so did Erik.

“You know what I mean…” he muttered.

Charles smiled back at him. “I do.” He said, tears in his eyes. “I’m not crazy…”

“You’re not crazy!” Erik was crying and grinning too now.  “You’re not crazy at all, Charles!”

“And I can do that… I can actually hear thoughts.”

Erik nodded enthusiastically. “You can! This is brilliant! You’re like a superhuman!”

Charles laughed. “I wouldn’t call it that.” He bit his lip.

“You should learn how to control it!” Erik said suddenly, excitedly. “To see what else you can do. Explore it!”

Charles hesitated once more. “Will you help me?” he asked sheepishly. “I’m not sure if I can do that alone…”

Erik’s hand found his again. His friend’s blue-green eyes were looking at him with a soft kind of emotion. “You’re not alone.” He said. “Charles, you’re not alone.”  

It was at that moment that Charles realized he had stopped crying at some point while listening to Erik. Instead there was a bright smile on his face and a happy feeling in his chest.

~*~

13 years later,

Westchester, 1934

_Charles_

It’s been 13 years since he last walked these streets. 13 years since he played in that park and ran about laughing and being a kid. 13 was an unlucky number, so they say, but Charles had no time to dwell on the fatality, or to consider fate had anything to do with this. It wasn’t fate that forced him back here. It wasn’t fate that turned him into the man he was today.

The town had changed for these 13 years but Charles could still recognize the really important things. Like that tree which he and Erik used to climb whenever they stole sweets from good old Mrs. Lehnsherr. They used to hide in the branches to eat the stolen goods in peace without getting caught. Charles chuckled at the absurdity of it all. Mrs. Lehnsherr most certainly knew where her sweets were disappearing to. Charles was aware of it because he could read it in her mind – the fondness of her thoughts whenever she found the empty plate at the windowsill. And yet she never once desecrated the sanctuary of their tree, always let them get away with the little theft. Charles looked up at the thick branches, lifting his hand to protect his eyes from the sunlight and grimacing a little. He couldn’t help seeing it all now, Erik and him on the tree, Erik’s grinning face as they stuffed their mouths with sweets, telling one another incredible stories they made up to entertain the other, planning adventures they would go to when they grow up. It seemed so distant now, so naïve.

Erik was Charles’ best and only friend when he was a child. Erik knew Charles’ secret. Erik knew Charles could hear people’s thoughts and he had no problem with that at all, in fact, Erik loved it. He loved how it was something only the two of them knew, something that allowed them to talk telepathically without anyone else ever finding out. Erik’s enthusiasm helped Charles come to terms with his mutation too. Those were golden memories, beautiful and pure. It was before Kurt, before Cain. It was before he lost his ability to-- No. He was not going to think of that.

At the time there wasn’t much talk about mutants, there were no restriction laws, no registration laws. Not like now. It was quieter times, safer times to be a mutant. There were still some unfortunate cases but—they were rare. Mutants weren’t generally extinguished as if they were some kind of weeds, instead of people.

But Charles still needed support when he went through all that and he did not trust anyone more than he did Erik. And Erik was Charles’ rock when it came to support.

Charles wondered if Erik still felt the same way about mutants now in a society where mutants were mostly perceived as freaks and threats. Doubtful, considering the regime change, but still possible if what Charles’ stepfather suspected was true. Sometimes Charles wondered if—But no. He won’t think of that either.

His eyes looked at the tree again. The irony was pretty obvious to him – he was still hiding in those branches before and he was still hiding now. Only now that things were different he was hiding behind different branches. Charles was a young man of 22, a young man who had _duties_. Duties he did not necessarily like but duties nevertheless. The things he's done just because he felt there was no way out, no escape. The horrible things he’d seen, witnessed, allowed to happen...

 _Responsibilities. Right._ He rubbed his eyes with his fingers nonchalantly. No time to delay. No need to delay either. It was time. He had to be detached and just do what he was supposed to. Like always.

~*~

_Erik_

Erik hadn’t thought of his childhood friend Charles Xavier in a long time. And yet he could vividly remember the moment Charles had woken him up in the middle of the night, using their special secret signal that nobody else knew, like kids did. It was the night Charles found out his family was moving. Charles’ eyes were wet and red from the tears he had shed earlier, his bottom lip quivering, his hands still shaking. His father – Brian - had recently died and not too long after that Charles’ mother – Sharon – remarried to Kurt Marko – the stern weirdo who also happened to be that idiot Cain’s father. The boys had secretly made fun of this ridiculous man and his horrible son. Little did they know then how dangerous Kurt Marko turned out to be for their friendship.

Charles hadn’t had the chance to make peace with his father’s death yet and he was already facing another change – a stepfather and a stepbrother. He now had to share a roof with that bully Cain. The mere thought enraged Erik. He knew very well that Charles was more or less defenseless in that mansion. At least the boys had each other.

But now _this_ happened. Charles’ family was moving to England.

For the young boys, so attached to one another, this separation was the end of the world. It was definitely the end of _their_ world, an end of an era and neither of them accepted it easily. Tears were shed, promises were made, tight hugs exchanged as Charles' governess pulled the boy out of Erik's embrace, taking him away from Erik.

Erik missed his friend for an embarrassingly long time until finally he learned to live his life without constantly wondering what was Charles doing now and if he was okay. No letters arrived. No reply to the letters Erik had sent either. Maybe Charles was busy making new friends. Maybe Charles had taken the separation better than Erik has. Charles had obviously moved on. Erik had to move on as well.

Yes, times change, people change, and we all grow up at one point. Tick-tock goes the clock.

Erik was now a respectable young man. He was a good son to his parents, helped a lot to his father and learned a lot from him too. He was his father’s right hand at the steel factory right until the very end when a tragic event took his father’s life. Erik inherited the steel factory and ran it in the best way he could. He wanted to make his father proud; he wanted to make his mama proud too… if she even noticed much of what was going on around her after she lost her husband…

Erik sighed. He was doing his best to be a good son. Charles Xavier wasn’t around for any of this and Erik had to accept that once you’re a grown man childhood friendships did not mean as much as he thought they did. It was just the way life was.

Erik Lehnsherr hadn’t thought of his childhood best friend Charles Xavier in a long time. That is why Erik Lehnsherr was more than surprised when his secretary Moira McTaggart informed him this morning that a certain Charles Xavier was waiting to meet him.

~*~

_Charles_

The pretty girl with the auburn hair smiled at him once again. She was probably flirting so Charles saw no harm in flirting back. Then she told him Mr. Lehnsherr would see him now and Charles sprang up to his feet and briskly entered Erik’s office. The girl closed the door behind him, leaving him and Erik in the privacy of the well-furnished office.

A familiar pair of blue-green eyes looked up at him – a little puzzled but not unwelcomed. Charles gave an awkward smile, for a moment not quite certain how to approach this. As if he were the kid from 13 years ago and not the young man he was now. That was _Erik_ in front of him, after all, not just anyone. It wasn't like an ordinary job. It was somehow… different.

They knew each other so well when they were kids. Charles did his best to shake all sentimentalities out of his mind and concentrate on the work ahead but it wasn’t as easy as he anticipated.

Erik was a man now. So grown, good-looking and sharp. They were both different people now. None of them were the kid from 13 years ago so Charles just had to snap out of it!

Reminding himself of what he was supposed to do, Charles quickly got back to his senses and assumed his usual cheeky attitude.

“Can I sit down or do you need to stare at me in disbelief a while longer?” he asked Erik with a playful grin.

Erik, seemingly entering a trance-like state the moment he saw Charles walking in his office, snapped back to reality and quickly offered his hand for a shake.

“Charles! Old friend! Of course you can sit down.” He said.

His voice sounded genuine, that much Charles could tell. Of course, it was stupid to even try to guess what was going on in Erik’s head without his telepathy. Just another thought he had to ignore. 

“Your voice is different.” Charles bit his smile back as he shook Erik’s hand then made himself comfortable on the chair opposite Erik’s. The two were now divided only by Erik’s large mahogany desk. “Then again, your _everything_ is different.” He amended, fingers playing on the wood. 

“It’s been a long time.” Erik agreed.

“13 years.” Something inside Charles forced him to mention the fatal number one more time before he smiled again and continued cheerfully. “You’ve grown up.”

“So have you.” Erik replied, still acting a bit stiff. Or maybe that was just his way now. Charles remembered the tall shy boy he used to spend his days with – Erik hardly spoke to anyone who wasn’t Charles. Maybe he wasn’t that much different after all. This made things really complicated for Charles but he willed himself to stop overthinking it and do what he had to.

“I prefer to believe I’ve turned out well.” Charles said, leaning back into the chair and crossing his legs. “And as I see, so have you!”

“Well…” Erik smiled a little sheepishly with a slight blush and Charles recognized the same shy expression he remembered from back when they were kids. That was rather adorable. Maybe their meeting provoked this or maybe some things just never changed.

“You’re the boss here now, I hear.” Charles said, taking in the entire office with one substantial look. “Not bad!”

“My father left it to me.” Erik replied. “I’m doing my best to not ruin what he created.”

“Sounds like a very positive attitude. Goal: not to ruin shit. Typical you!”

Erik chuckled. “Some things never change.” He said and was it a coincidence that Charles had just thought the same?

Yes. Yes, it was. Because things do change and Charles is not Charles anymore. It’s been 13 years. Lots of things changed. Inevitably. _Stop overthinking._

And yet it took him a moment to reply. A moment Erik used to speak instead.

“Charles, I’m really so glad to see you again after 13 years – as you said – but I must ask… what are you doing here?”

“Ah!” Charles flushed him with a charming grin. “We’re finally getting somewhere!” he uncrossed his legs and put his hands on the desk. “I ran away. It’s really exciting. I ran away from my life in England to return to Westchester.”

“Oh?”

“Yes.” It’s a very exciting part of my life, mind you.” Charles continued in his usual easy manner of speaking – a skill he had mastered with years of practice – never show them what you truly feel. “I’m planning on starting anew here and I was hoping…” he cast his blue eyes down towards his shoes, biting his bottom lip nervously. It was all a carefully calculated gesture. Charles was so good at controlling his facial expressions by now that he could easily deceive whomever he wished as if he was getting right inside their heads controlling them. The irony was, he could once do that the old-fashioned way with his telepathy but with that lost now he had to rely on his acting talents.

“Yes, Charles? Hoping for what?” Erik asked, tilting his head.

“Hoping you could find me a job here at the factory.” He finally said. “I don’t want to be dependent on my family anymore.  Some family!” he rolled his eyes. “We have disagreements. Kurt and Cain practically control everything and I just can’t stand them anymore, Erik, I can’t. So I came here to see what I can find." He graced Erik with a soft smile. "And I found you.” The smile lingered on his lips until he chuckled again. “I mean I found you were still in town.”

“Of course…” Erik said, almost a mechanical response.

“So will you help me?” Charles asked. His voice when he spoke the last words was honest, open, hopeful, a little breathy as he waited for Erik’s reply. Everything he wanted his voice to be when he asked Erik this question. It was a perfect performance just like it was supposed to be. Now all he needed was Erik’s decision. 

~*~

_Erik_

Wasn’t a hard decision at all!

“Of course. Yes, definitely.” Erik said. “I’m sure I can think of something for you.”

He wasn’t even surprised at his own answer. There was something familiar in seeing Charles again. Something that instantly spelled comfort and home whenever he set his eyes on Charles’ eyes. An old friend comes along, asking for help, naturally Erik would grant him that help.

“Yes, we can find something for you in the factory.” He said thoughtfully. “Anything specific you want to do? I mean… what can you do?”

Charles’ face lit up when he replied. “I have a degree in Psychology and Genetics but I doubt that’d be any good at a steel factory.” He chuckled. “Also I have a few other skills that don’t seem appropriate for me to mention.” He winked.

Erik rolled his eyes amused. Charles was back for only a few minutes and Erik already felt as if he had never left. What was this about Charles that always had this effect on him – the effect of calming him down, making him feel relaxed, alive and lighthearted. He had already forgotten the fact that Charles never once wrote to him, or tried to contact him at all during these last 13 years. The silent disappointment was forgotten the moment those familiar blue eyes had smiled at him.

“Well, it’s not exactly up your alley to work at a steel factory but if that’s what you want…”

“I do!”

“… then of course I’ll be more than happy to oblige.” Erik smiled. He had smiled more this morning than he had in months. “Although I’m sure you could find something that is closer to what you’ve studied.”

“I prefer this place.” Charles said honestly. “Thanks, Erik! I really appreciate your help!”

“Any time…” Erik said and as Charles beamed back at him for a moment Erik was captured by the terrible idea that Charles was about to leave again. He didn’t want that.

“Wait!” Erik said hurriedly. He had to come up with something to say, something to keep Charles here longer. “Do you, do you have a place to stay?”

“A hotel room.” Charles replied, blue eyes examining Erik as if trying to see where this was going.

Erik was surprised Charles didn’t stay at the old Xavier mansion – there was definitely plenty of space there. But maybe his friend didn’t want to be close to anything that reminded him of the Markos. Whatever the reason was, surely it was ridiculous for Charles to stay at a hotel in his home town, especially when he was more than welcome in Erik’s own home! Maybe Charles would read the question in his mind. Erik waited but there was nothing but silence from Charles’ mind.

“A hotel room! Surely not, Charles.” Erik said out loud.

Charles huffed a bit theatrically. That was new. "I don't want to set foot in the Manson and have Kurt calling me and sending me telegrams all the time." He explained.

“But you can’t stay in a hotel room forever. How about you be my guest?” Erik suggested. “There’s space at home, you can stay as long as you need.”

Charles furrowed his brow a bit, considering the idea. “Alright.” his friend finally said. “If you’re sure I won’t be a bother.”

“You won’t. We have a lot of catching up to do anyway.” Erik reassured him.

“And I won’t bother anyone else at home?” Charles asked delicately.

It was a subtle test to find out who else was living in that house. It was such a Charles move. Erik had to smile at that.

“I live with my mum, Charles. And most of the time she’s just… locked up in her room.” He sighed, trying to keep the sad feeling out. “After father died she—she’s not really herself. Hardly talks or goes out at all. She’s a shell of the woman you remember, Charles.”

When he looked up he saw Charles’ genuinely concerned expression; empathy practically leaking from his face. Those expressive blue eyes haven’t changed.

“I’m really sorry to hear that, Erik.” He said softly.

Erik nodded, willing a smile on his face. “At least she’s healthy otherwise.” He added.

There was a silence for a moment before Charles spoke again, no doubt trying to go back to the easygoing atmosphere from a moment ago. “So. No wife then?”

Erik chuckled. “No wife _yet._ ” He said. “A fiancée.”

“Oh! A fiancée! Groovy.”

“I can’t believe you just said groovy, Charles.”

“Why not?”

“We used to say _groovy_ in the ‘20’s, when we were kids.” Erik said with a fond smile.

“Hmm, maybe so but _you’re_ the grown-up with the fiancée, not me. I’m free to say whatever I please.”

Erik laughed heartily. The two joked and teased one another for about an hour more, not really catching up or talking about anything important, just… spending time together, hanging out. It was good. It made Erik feel what it would have been like to have Charles around during those years they spent apart. It probably would’ve made his teenage years less lonely and a lot more joyous. Erik was a serious person who desperately needed a cheerful cheeky chap like Charles around to remind him to smile and enjoy life.

Well, Erik sighed internally, there was no turning back the clock. Time slips through people’s fingers like water. At least it would appear he got an old friend back now.

A knock on the door and Moira’s head popped inside the office. “I’m terribly sorry to disturb you, Mr. Lehnsherr, but it’s soon time for your next meeting.”

Erik found himself wanting to cancel all of his next meetings but he knew that was selfish.

“Thank you, Moira.” He said instead.

Charles made a cute face and got up from his chair. “Well, I guess that’s my cue. I’ll go to the hotel, get my stuff and meet you downstairs around 5-ish?”

Erik nodded. “Sounds great.”

“Great.” Charles smiled again, a shadow passing through his face only for a moment before he willed it away. “Well, see you soon, my friend.”

“Yes. Soon”

It was a bit strange that Charles didn't respond to Erik's telepathic messages but maybe it was because of all the laws and restrictions on mutants. Charles was probably still hiding his abilities and Erik was not going to ruin that by forcefully outing him. There was still time. Maybe Charles wanted them to talk about these things when they were somewhere more private. Erik smiled at the thought.


End file.
